GANESHA HAS AN ELEPHANT'S HEAD, FOUR TO TEN ARMS, A POT BELLY, AND IS USUALLY RED OR YELLOW IN COLOUR.HIS VEHICLE IS A RAT. IN HIS HANDS HE HOLDS A ROPE, AN AXE, A GOAD, A DISH OF SWEET-BALLS ETC. THE FOURTH HAND IS IN THE BOON GIVING POSITION. IT IS SAID THAT WITH THE AXE GANESHA CUTS OFF THE ATTACHMENTS (TO WORLDLY THINGS) OF HIS DEVOTEES AND WITH THE ROPE PULLS THEM NEARER TO THE TRUTH.A SON OF SHIVA, HE IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR GODS AND IS CALLED " REMOVER OF OBSTACLES". HE IS WORSHIPPED AT THE START OF A RITUAL OR THE BEGINNING OF A JOURNEY.ENDOWED WITH A GENTLE AND AFFECTIONATE NATURE HE IS ALSO KNOWN AS A GOD OF WISDOM. HIS IMGAES ARE FOUND IN PRACTICALLY EVERY HOUSEHOLD AND ALSO ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF VILLAGES , AS A GUARDIAN DEITY.
HE IS THE LORD OF THE BRAHMACHARIS (CELIBATES).THERE ARE SEVRAL ACCOUNTS OF GANESHA'S BIRTH.ACCORDING TO ONE, PARVATI,WIFE OF SHIVA CRETED HIM FROM THE SCRUFF OF HER BODY TO GUARD HER DOOR AND WHEN GANESHA REFUSED TO ADMIT SHIVA ,THE GOD CUT OFF HIS HEAD. ON SEEING PARVATI DISTRESSED ABOUT THIS,SHIVA PROMISED TO REPLACE THE HEAD WITH THAT OF THE FIRST LIVING BEING HE WOULD CHANCE UPON. THIS HAPPENED TO BE AN ELEPHANT. ACCORDING TO ANOTHER ACCOUNT,GANESHA WAS CONJURED OUT OF A PIECE OF CLOTH BY SHIVA TO PRODUCE A SON FOR PARVATI.LATER SHIVA BROUGHT ABOUT THE BOY'S DEATH BY DECAPITATION, AND THEN IN ORDER TO PLACATE PARVATI,HE CALLED ON THE GODS TO FIND HIM A NEW HADA. AFTER MUCH SEARCHING THEY GAVE HIM AN ELEPHANT'S HEAD.THE TUSK BROKE WHEN IT WAS CUT FROM THE ELEPHANT'S BODY,THERFORE GANESHA IS NORMALLY SHOWN WITH A BROKEN TUSK.
THE SYMBOLISM SOME TIMES ALLUDED TO HIM IS THAT HIS OBESITY CONTAINS THE WHOLE UNIVERSE,HIS TRUNK IS BENT OT REMOVE OBSTACLES AND HIS VEHICLE THE RAT CAN CREEP THROUGH SMALL HOLES TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL THAT IS TEMOVE OBSTACLES TO REACH RELIGIOUS ENDS.